Duke, Houston and Final Four
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SB Nation |
D uke’s coronation was all but written late in the second half against Houston in the 2025 men’s Final Four. The Blue Devils led by 14 points with just over eight minutes left
USA Today |
The Blue Devils will remember the Alamodome, where the Cougars took advantage of an epic collapse to deal Duke a season-ending defeat at the Final Four on Saturday night.
USA Today |
He's also just the third person in men's NCAA Tournament history to coach his alma mater in the Final Four after playing in the national semifinals.
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Houston secured the second spot in the NCAA men's tournament title game with a furious rally to defeat Duke. The Cougars will face Florida on Monday.
Saturday's second national semifinal showdown in San Antonio at the Final Four will see No. 1 seed Duke face No. 1 seed Houston in a rematch of last year's Sweet 16 clash won by the Blue Devils. Duke advanced to the Elite Eight last spring with a dramatic 54-51 win over the Cougars.
Houston pulled off a rally so stunning, so jarring, it will take everyone — specifically those in Durham, N.C. — a lifetime to sort out.
Only the UNC Tar Heels have more with 21. Duke was previously tied for third with the Kentucky Wildcats. Houston, meanwhile, tied the UConn Huskies for the 10th-most Final Four trips with seven each. Here's a look at the teams with at least 10 Final Four ...
Paul Wall and Johnny Dang promise to give a grill to each member of the Houston Cougars if they beat Florida for the national championship.
When Duke eliminated Houston in the Sweet 16 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, poor health made for a convenient and legitimate source of blame. The Cougars were without All-American guard Jamal Shead and menacing defensive stopper JoJo Tugler due to injury.
The 2025 men's Final Four became the 2025 men's Final Two on Saturday night in San Antonio, Florida defeating Auburn 79-73 in the all-SEC semifinal before Houston stunned Duke 70-67 in the nightcap.
The Florida All-American has repeatedly come up big in late-game situations and did so again on Saturday to lead the Gators to a 79-73 win over Auburn in the Final Four. Clayton hit multiple big 3s in the second half and helped seal the win with an and-1 layup and free throw with 1:33 to extend Florida's lead to six.